Excuses, Excuses
by pandorabox82
Summary: JJ has discovered that sometimes even the best excuse cannot cover up the truth. And when the person who learns the truth of her circumstances is none other than Erin Strauss, will their friendship pave the way for a relationship with the man of her dreams? JJ/Erin friendship.
1. Chapter 1

JJ stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had thought that she had covered up the bruise on her cheek well, but in the harsh fluorescent light of her workplace, she saw that the makeup did little to hide the damage.

The door swung open and she whirled around to see who had joined her, hastily wiping a tear off her cheek. "Agent Jareau, is everything all right?"

Strauss was looking at her in concern, and JJ wished that the floor would open up and swallow her in that very moment. "Everything is fine, Ma'am. No need to worry about me."

JJ could tell that Strauss knew she was lying by the way she reached out and touched her shoulder lightly. "Jennifer?" She nodded. "I know that we haven't always gotten along and that I haven't proven myself worthy of your trust, but I do know when a woman is lying. Especially to herself." As she watched, Strauss blinked rapidly, as if trying to hold back tears, and she felt like she had to deny everything, if only to reassure the woman she was all right.

"No, really, everything will be fine. It was just something stupid. Henry spilled his juice on the floor and I didn't see it and slipped, running my cheek into the doorknob." To her horror, more tears began to roll down her cheeks and then Strauss was reaching out, wiping the offending tears away.

"Why don't we head out to my office. You look like you could use a safe place to hide for the moment." She nodded, letting Strauss take control. It was so easy to let her lead her away, to ignore the looks she received from Blake and Reid. "I'm sure your friends will want a full report on why I led you away. Especially Alex, since she…well, let's just say that not all amends are accepted." JJ nodded as they walked down the hall. Most of the other agents ignored them, and she had wondered if this was how Strauss was always treated. If so, it would explain why she was the way she was.

Strauss's assistant looked up at them, confusion wrinkling her brow. "Is everything all right, Ma'am?"

"Yes, everything will be fine. But please, hold all my calls until Agent Jareau and I have finished our meeting. We have some rather delicate things to discuss and cannot be disturbed." Her assistant nodded and Strauss ushered her into her office, closing the blinds to the outer office. "Would you like anything to drink? I have a coffee carafe and bottled water. Or I can send Helen to get us sodas."

The fact that she was trying to make her feel comfortable somehow both distressed and calmed JJ. After all, everything else in her life was turning on its head, why shouldn't how she viewed her boss follow the same course. "Some water might be nice." Strauss nodded and went over to one of her cabinets, opening the door to reveal a small refrigerator and taking out two bottles. JJ sat on the couch and curled one arm protectively around her stomach before accepting the bottle from her hands.

Strauss sat next to her, opening her own bottle and taking a sip before clearing her throat. "So, would you care to tell me what is really going on at home, Agent Jareau?"

"JJ." She had no idea why she was letting the woman call her by her nickname, but she felt like she could trust the woman for some reason. "And I wish that I could. I don't even know where to begin."

"Is Will hitting you?"

JJ took a deep breath, holding onto the bottle tightly. "Maybe. But he's been under such stress lately at work, and the PTSD doesn't help anything. He won't get any help, says that's for sissies, and maybe he's right."

She began to cry once more, and opened the bottle, gulping at the water in an attempt to calm herself down. "Alan used to hit me, too." The admission was soft, and JJ looked at her out of the corner of her eye. Strauss was looking at the bottle in her hands, as if by staring at it, she could find all the answers. "I've always been driven, had an abrasive personality. And I thought he understood that."

JJ nodded slowly before setting the bottle on the table. "He's changed so much since the bank heist. We were fighting a lot before we got married, and then he almost died, and I realized that I couldn't live without him. Now I'm questioning that decision."

Strauss reached over and placed a soft, cold, hand on her arm. "You love him, you share a child, and you want to make things work between you. But he's hurting you, JJ. You have to decide what you can handle. I was lucky, Alan only hit me a few times when I got him angry enough with me. But then, he was also stepping out on me. He left before things could get worse or better. I can't tell you what to do, but I can be an ear for you. An impartial listener, if you'd like."

JJ nodded. "I think I might need that, Chief Strauss."

"Erin, please. When we're here, behind closed doors, you needn't rest on formality." They looked at each other and she smiled gently at Erin. "But, you need to leave here with a smile on your face. How's Henry?"

She was grateful for that suggestion, her smile widening. "He's doing really well, all things considered. He still has a few nightmares about the mean lady who was trying to hurt Mommy, but those are coming fewer and father between. And someone at his daycare taught him how to read."

"Already? He's only four, right?" JJ nodded. "Then again, my youngest was like that. She picked it up from her older siblings, wanting to be like them. It will be a blessing to you in the long run that he's started so early."

JJ felt a warm wave of contentment sweep over her as she listened to the woman prattle on about her children and how proud she was of them. She fell under the spell of her voice, the lilting quality of it letting her relax and focus on something other than how her life was going down in flames.


	2. Chapter 2

After an hour had passed, JJ felt her phone vibrate against her leg. Pulling it out, she saw that Hotch was calling her, and she smiled up at Erin apologetically. "Hotch is probably wondering where I am by now."

"Perhaps. But then you should be heading back, after all. I don't want them to think that I'm trying to convince you to go back to the State Department. I wouldn't do that now, I hope you know, and I didn't want to then. The future, though, will be different."

JJ nodded as she stood and was surprised when Erin reached out for her hand, squeezing tightly before letting her go. "If I need anything, I'll make certain to call, Erin. Thank you for listening to me."

"Anytime, JJ." She still sounded hesitant about calling her by her nickname, and that thought brought a tender smile to her face as she exited her office. Helen was busy typing, but she did stop to wave a little at her as she left.

The walk back to the bullpen seemed to take forever, as she found herself not wanting to talk to her friends about what was going on. Blake would pump her for details on Erin, to see if the woman had been bad-mouthing her, while Reid and Garcia would look at her as if she had grown a second head. Hotch and Rossi, though, they would understand being friendly with Erin. After all, Rossi was still sleeping with her – it was one of his worst kept secrets.

All of her team turned to look at her from where they were gathered by Hotch's office. She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs to join them. "JJ, is everything okay? Strauss took you away more than an hour ago. You're not being transferred again, are you?"

Morgan sounded concerned, and she noticed his focus was on her cheek. She tried to plaster on her sunniest smile as she shook her head, but felt the tears come close to the forefront once more. "No, nothing like that. We just had to talk about a few things this morning. Sorry I'm late for the briefing, Hotch."

"You're fine. But now that we're all here, let's meet up in the ready room. Garcia said that this was going to be a particularly difficult case for us." His eyes bored into JJ and she shuddered, knowing that he knew her secret as well. He placed a gentle hand on the small of her back and led her into the room, the others following.

Garcia launched right into the briefing, even before they were settled, as if she was unnerved by the case. And once the first pictures were up on the screen, JJ knew why, too. It was going to be a hard case for her and Hotch to handle, and she felt her heart lurch a little as she saw how the unsub had mutilated the little boys he'd kidnapped. It offered her a legitimate outlet for her tears and she found herself flicking a few away as Garcia wrapped the briefing up.

"All right my lovelies, this time before we leave, I want my hugs. You are going to need the positive vibes while you're up in Maine." She positioned herself by the door, giving tight hugs to the others as they trooped out. JJ positioned herself last, and clung to Garcia, needing the comfort she knew the woman would give her. "You're going to find him and kick his ass for me, right, Jayje?"

"I am going to try my best." Garcia nodded and kissed her cheek lightly before pushing her out the door. Hotch was waiting for her, holding her go bag, and she smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks, Hotch."

"Sure. Is there something I need to know about?" he asked as he led her over to the elevators. The others were still getting their things together, so she knew that they would be riding to the airfield together. She bit her lip and looked to the side, despite knowing that he would pick up on her tells.

"Not at the moment. Strauss and I are working it out." He made a low, noncommittal, noise in the back of his throat and she shrugged. "She doesn't mind helping me out with this. And I really need an impartial person in my life right now. Can we leave it at that?"

He nodded as the elevator doors closed them off from the rest of the unit. "For the moment. But if you need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to call me."

She couldn't help but smile. "You know, Erin told me the same thing." She didn't realize that she had called the woman by her first name until she caught him staring at her. "What? We sort of bonded this morning. I can kind of see why Rossi is with her now."

"I just wasn't expecting you to be the first person to warm to her. Dave, I can understand, since they were…together when I started with the Bureau."

"There are stranger things in Heaven and Earth, Hotch."

"Than are dreamt of in my philosophy?" he gently teased back, completing the line from Shakespeare. She nodded and felt like an incredible weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't laughed with Will in two months, she suddenly realized, and she missed it. "I miss Beth."

"It's only New York City." He nodded. "Long distance relationships suck, though. Will and I made it work, so there's always hope for you and her." JJ wondered why it hurt to tell him those words and she looked away from him to stare at the doors. They slid open and he guided her over to his car.

The drive to the airfield was quiet, the only noise coming from the radio playing Oldies music in the background. She was the first to jump out of the car and bring her bag over to the cargo hold. Hotch caught up to her and helped her up the steps as the others appeared. For once, though, she wanted to be alone during the flight, so she took the small seat, the one across from where she and Emily had often sat. Today, she really missed her friend, and wished she was there with her. Maybe then she could make sense of this whole thing.


	3. Chapter 3

It seemed worse once they were on the ground, dealing with the parents of the poor children who were murdered. She shuddered as she changed into her pajamas and then settled into bed. Blake was still in the shower, giving her some private time, which she welcomed.

As she reclined against the headboard of the bed, her phone rang, and JJ reached over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Hello, Jen – JJ. I hope I'm not catching you too late."

Erin's voice was a welcome sound and she sighed in relief. "No, you're fine. But why are you calling?"

"I realized that I hadn't given you my number, if you wanted to call. It might be a little awkward for you to contact Ms. Garcia to get the information, and so I thought I'd ring you to let you know. This is my personal cell, and you know David's, if you can't reach me at this number."

She was surprised to hear the woman acknowledge her relationship with Rossi, but JJ supposed that was because it was normal to her. "Thanks. Um, how did your day go?"

"It went. There are times that I wish I could go out in the field more often, rather than deal with meeting after inane meeting. How's the case going?"

"It could be going so much better. I don't know if I'm going to be able to stay objective on this case, Erin."

"Oh, you're in Maine, then. I was hoping that the Red Cell team would take that case." There was real sadness in her voice, and JJ wondered how much the woman knew about the lives they led. "Please, try and look out for Aaron. I know that David will as well, but you two are the only ones that have living children."

"I'll try. You know, he didn't even call? It's ten, and usually he calls to let me sing to Henry or tell him a story before bedtime. I didn't expect that to hurt this much."

"You're more sensitive, due to the nature of this case, which is understandable. I wish I could tell you something that would ease the sting, but I've never been in your situation."

"Why did you stay with Alan?" JJ asked suddenly, wanting to know.

"He was the father of my children. We created three beautiful gifts from God, and I wanted them to have a stable, two-parent home while they were growing up. I was planning on divorcing him after our youngest went to college. My first visit to rehab sort of sped up that timetable, seeing as how Alan was not up to dealing with my flaws."

"He's a jerk."

Erin laughed a little. "Yes, that was something I found out too late. He tried to get sole custody of our daughter, seeing as how I was being branded an unfit mother, but she was old enough to make her own decision and stuck by me. Even when I fell off the wagon, hard, that second time."

Her voice had begun to be tinged with sadness and JJ found herself wanting to comfort her in some small way. "Reid has had that same struggle, so I understand sticking close to our loved ones. Erin, I wish that things could have been like this from the start."

"So do I, JJ. I could have really used a friend like you in my life. I should let you go, though, so you can get a good night's sleep."

"All right, I'll talk to you later." JJ hung up with her and set the phone aside, looking up into Blake's startled eyes. "What?"

"Were you just talking with Strauss?" Derision fairly dripped from her voice and JJ took a deep breath as she cracked her neck.

"I was just talking with Erin. She makes a good conversationalist." The woman harrumphed lowly and JJ shrugged. "The past is the past, and we can't change that. We can only change the direction of our future. I think you'd be better off remembering that."

"Why? She nearly destroyed everything that I had ever worked for."

"And she nearly lost everything that she had ever worked for. I have never seen someone claw their way back to the top like she did, all without letting someone, anyone, in on her struggle. At least Reid had us." As the words escaped her heart, JJ realized how true they were. Reid had had that support system that Erin had time and again rejected, thinking she needed to appear strong to those looking to tear her down.

Blake's shoulders slumped a little. "I'd have to admit I was wrong, then."

"You could at least be kind, if you can't accept the amends just yet. So, has Reid told you anything about his girlfriend? Things have been a little strained between us ever since the Emily incident." JJ hoped that she would get an answer, but the other woman just shrugged.

"He won't talk to me about her, either. I'm a little concerned that he's being snowed by the woman." She pulled back the covers and slid into bed, turning on her side to look at JJ. "You have a big heart. I don't know if I could ever be as open as you are with everyone. Why are you with Will instead of Hotch? It's obvious, to me, that you care for each other."

"We're ships passing in the night. When I started with the BAU, he was with Haley. Then I met Will, and the Reaper took Haley from him. Now he has Beth and I have the life I made for myself." To her horror, she began to cry a little, and Blake frowned a little. "It's nothing, I just never realized how much life could hurt at times."

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this." She smiled at JJ slightly before turning over and pulling the covers up around her, soon falling asleep. JJ flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling, sleep seeming miles away.

Sighing, she picked up her phone and looked through her pictures of Henry that she kept there, always close at hand when the cases got to be too much, or she missed him. As she was flipping to another picture, the phone buzzed lightly, notifying her of a new text message. Exiting the photo gallery, she tapped the message button and smiled a little when she saw Hotch was still up, too. _I can't sleep. I just want to be home with Jack._

_ Me, too. Well, with Henry. But you know what I mean. Did you talk to Beth tonight?_

There was a pause before he answered. _No. She's beginning to be a little like Haley. She likes to see me as the hero, but doesn't want to hear all the gory details. It makes talking to her rather difficult at times._

_ Ah, I see. Erin didn't want to send us on this case. She thought Sam's team would come here._

_ Sam and his team got called away by the Director at the last minute. And this case needs to be solved before…_

_ I know. God, I hate this._

_ I do, too, Jen. See you in the morning?_

_ Bright and early._ All she got in reply was a smiley face, and she giggled a little, somehow knowing that Jack had taught his father how to use emoticons. Plugging the phone back into the charger, she turned on her side and clutched the other pillow tightly to her chest, wanting this nightmare of a case to be over soon, so that she could hug her son. Maybe Will wouldn't be so bad, either, after she explained how much the case had bothered her. She could even cook his favorite meal and have their favorite wine. Maybe…


	4. Chapter 4

JJ shook her head as she attached the second alligator clip to the bandage that covered the deep cut on her upper arm. Will hadn't meant to cut her, she had startled him while he was cutting an almost dead limb off the tree outside Henry's room. At least, that was what she kept telling herself. The anger in his eyes had been too frightening to consider any other possibility.

Sighing, she pulled on her blouse, buttoning it quickly before heading down to the kitchen. Will and Henry were gone already, and she shook her head as she grabbed her keys off the hook, missing her son incredibly. JJ stopped in at her favorite coffee shop and picked up her usual before heading in to work. Hotch was there already, as was Erin, and she gravitated to the woman's office naturally.

"Good morning, JJ. What can I do for you?" she asked as JJ closed the door behind her, sipping at the coffee.

"Will cut me last night," she replied once she'd swallowed. "I don't think he meant to do it on purpose, I really don't, but…"

"It hurt. Did you get it taken care of?"

JJ grimaced. "Not professionally. It didn't look that bad, so I just slapped an ace bandage over it."

Erin harrumphed at her. "Let me see it."

"What? No! I'd have to take off my blouse, and I am not about to sit in your office half-naked!" she protested, clutching the neckline of her shirt closer together.

"You don't have anything I haven't seen before, I'm used to taking care of my children's scrapes and bruises, this will be nothing, I promise." Reluctantly, she nodded, unbuttoning the blouse and slipping her right arm from the sleeve. Erin reached out and plucked off the clips, unwinding the bandage quickly. "Jennifer, you need to go see a doctor and get this taken care of. It looks like it's infected already."

"It doesn't hurt that badly, Erin. I'm sure…"

"No." The steel in her voice startled JJ and she blinked several times. "If you were to get an infection, we would have to sit you out of going into the field. You don't want that, do you?"

"No," she replied in a small voice. "I guess I should probably see if my doctor has an opening today, then." Erin whipped out her cellphone, handing it to her. "I have to call now?"

"Yes." Her tone brooked no arguing and JJ nodded, swallowing lightly.

"Fine." She quickly dialed her doctor's office and waited for the receptionist to pick up. "Hi, this is Jennifer Jareau. I need to schedule an appointment for today, please."

"And what seems to be the problem?"

"I got a bad cut on my arm, and my friend seems to think that it's infected. I'm not allowed to go out in the field until I have it looked at. Could Dr. Rannels possibly squeeze me in?"

On the other end of the line, she could hear the woman typing away. "Well, it looks like we did have a cancellation for 9:45. Can you get here by then?"

JJ looked up at Erin, noticing the deep concern in her eyes, the way she was frowning slightly, and bobbed her head. "Yes, I'll have my friend drive me. Somehow, I think she'll have more of a lead foot than I would have."

"Wonderful. I'll let Dr. Rannels know about the change. See you shortly."

She ended the call and handed the phone back to Erin. "Looks like you're stuck with me this morning, Erin."

"And that is perfectly all right. Just let me grab my purse and jacket and I'll be ready to go." JJ nodded and they stood. While she fixed her blouse, Erin got her things together and then they were headed out the door. "Helen, Agent Jareau and I have an appointment to get to. We should be back in a few hours, please hold all my calls until then."

"Yes, Erin." She smiled at her assistant before placing her hand on JJ's back, gently guiding her over to the elevators. Hotch met them coming out and he looked at them in concern.

"I have to go to the doctor. Erin is insisting that I get this silly little cut checked out. I think she's afraid I'll have to get my arm amputated and then you wouldn't have my sharp shooting skills available anymore."

Erin shook her head as she stepped into the elevator. "It's not a small cut, Aaron."

"I figured as much. Take care of her, Erin."

"I'm trying to." There was more to those words than either let on, and JJ knew that they had talked about her privately, given the look they both shot at her. She felt her lips purse as she stepped into the elevator, a sharp burning in her chest. "All right, tell me why you're mad."

She couldn't hide the shock on her face as she looked at Erin. "How did you know…?"

"My children have taught me the fine art of reading facial expressions. Now, tell me what's wrong."

"You talked about me to Hotch! I thought we were going to keep that private, Erin."

The woman tilted her head to the side as she held out her arm in clear invitation. JJ was hesitant about stepping into the shelter of her presence, but finally, she came close, letting her close that arm around her waist, holding her tightly. "I have not told him anything that you told me, Jen. I keep my confidences. However, he did ask about why you were in my office the other day, and I told him it was a personal matter. When he asked if it was Will, I said nothing, and he interpreted my silence to mean yes."

"Oh." JJ turned her face into Erin's shoulder, letting herself begin to cry. "What else did he say?"

"He asked me to watch after you, since it wouldn't look seemly if he did so. He cares about you, JJ, and you are lucky to find that in a, in a friend. I would never have made it sober this long if it hadn't been for David."

There was a long span of silence, as JJ wasn't sure what to say at that moment. She was unused to Erin being so open with her, and yet, here she was, telling her things she had never expected. "But you and David are more than friends," she finally replied, hoping she didn't sound as dejected as she felt.

"Now. But we were friends first, this time around. I needed a friend, those first months home from rehab." The arm around her waist tightened a little, and JJ nodded as she sighed delicately. "I know that's not exactly what you wanted to hear, but I hope it gives you hope."

"A little, yes. Why are you so intent on making sure I'm okay? I have friends who would just as easily step into this role." She regretted the words the instant they slipped from her mouth, desperately wishing she could call them back.

Erin stepped back from her, looking into her eyes. "I just couldn't stand back and watch you be slowly destroyed by what he was doing to you. You weren't going to tell anyone, you were going to bear that burden alone."

To her shame, Erin began to cry a little, too, and JJ reached up, brushing those bitter tears off her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm just in a peevish mood today. And I sound like Reid now. Guess I've been spending too much time around him."

Erin let out a short laugh as she rummaged in her purse, pulling out tissues for each of them. "I understand peevish, I really do." She wiped her cheeks free of tears and sighed deeply. "One day, I hope that you will trust me enough not to question my motivations. I know that will take time, though."

JJ nodded, reaching out for Erin's hand and clasping it tightly as the elevator doors opened on the parking garage. She only hoped that this appointment would be over soon, and that she could return to work before the end of the day.


	5. Chapter 5

"So, what did the doctor say, Jayje?" Garcia asked as she stopped by her office.

JJ looked up from the file on her desk, giving her friend a small smile as she indicated for her to come and sit down. "The wound is infected, like Erin thought it was. My doctor gave me an antibacterial salve to rub onto it twice every day."

"Ooh, that sounds painful. But how did Hotch know you cut yourself? You're wearing long sleeves today."

JJ realized she had almost slipped up and revealed her friendship with Erin to the other woman, and she shrugged a little, trying to come up with a plausible story. "He accidentally touched the cut and I gasped in pain. I didn't really want to go to the doctor, but he threatened to ground me if I didn't."

Garcia nodded in sympathy. "Well, at least we don't have to send you out on the field right now. Strauss didn't give us a case that would require us to travel right now. That could all change tomorrow, but thank God for small miracles today, I suppose."

"There is that," she said lowly. "Do you want to head out for lunch today? I was thinking we could try that new café on Twelfth."

"Ooh, that sounds delicious! I'll meet you down here a little after noon, then." She smiled widely at JJ and then pranced off, humming under her breath.

JJ let out a deep breath, relieved that she had put her friend off for a few more hours. She made her way over to her office and took a seat behind her desk, staring at the pictures in front of her. Burying her face in her hands, she tried to calm her breaths and not break down crying. The phone ringing startled her and she picked it up. "Hello?"

"JJ, it's Erin. Look, I wanted to apologize for steamrolling you earlier. I just, I don't want to see you falling into the same mistakes and patterns that I did. Alan, well, he did a number on my heart, and I know how it can feel when you are in love and don't want to admit that something could be wrong."

"Erin."

"No, I'm serious. I know I can be overbearing, that was the one thing that wasn't alcohol fueled. And I don't want to push you away because of that."

"Erin, I understand. Really, I do." JJ sighed lightly. "Look, I'm having lunch with Garcia today, but why don't you come over for supper? It's his night to work, so he wouldn't bother us, and I would like the company."

JJ didn't really know why she was so quick to invite the woman into her home, but it felt right to her, and so she waited for Erin's answer. "All right, that sounds lovely. I suppose that I could swing by about six. Or is that too late for you and Henry?"

The sweet anxiety in her voice made JJ smile and she shook her head. "No, that will be fine. It will give me some time to throw together something for us to eat, too. I hope you're in the mood for chicken strips. Henry kind of dictates our culinary choices at the moment. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My youngest went through an all peanut butter sandwich, all the time, phase." She sighed lightly and JJ swallowed a laugh at the sound. "But I do like chicken."

"Good. I'll see you tonight." They hung up and she sank down in her chair, letting out a deep breath. The work load in front of her seemed to have grown exponentially, and she listlessly picked up the first file, rifling through it and correcting any errors she found.

By the time Penelope showed up in her doorway at noon, she had managed to finish a quarter of the pile and felt like she had accomplished something with her day so far. "Hey, Jayje! Are you ready to go?"

"More than ready. I need a break from all this paperwork!" She smiled gently at Penelope as she stood and grabbed her purse, following her out to the elevators. Erin was in the corridor and they smiled at each other as she brushed past.

"Are you having lunch with Rossi today, Ma'am?" Penelope called out, and Erin stopped, turning to face them.

"Unfortunately, no. The Section Chiefs of the BAU are having a meeting with the Assistant Director. This will be much less pleasant than the evening ahead."

JJ grinned as she let out a soft chuckle. "You never know, you could find out some useful intel for us while you're there."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Erin replied, smiling gently at them. "Have a wonderful lunch." They nodded and she moved off to the conference room. JJ could see that there were a number of people already gathered, and she winced slightly at the thought of having to deal with business over lunch.

"Did you just have a friendly conversation with Strauss?" Penelope asked as they stepped into the elevator. "You are the last person I would think would ever come around to her. What's she really like? I mean, she must be nice, if Rossi is still with her after all this time. And they do look adorable together. Still, she's so aloof at times, like she doesn't want to mix with us plebeians."

JJ shook her head. "I think she's just trying to protect herself. I think she's been hurt by so many people in her life that she can't really open herself up to others very easily."

Penelope nodded as they stepped out of the elevator and headed out the door. "I suppose we never made her job any easier, either, did we?"

"Not really, no."

"Well, I guess I can change that, then. If Rossi is going to be with her, we should make her feel welcome."

JJ was pleased to hear her friend come around to that conclusion on her own, and she smiled a little as they turned down the street, walking briskly to the café. "I suppose we could do that, Garcia. Now, what do you think we should get to eat?"

"I'm getting the California club. I looked up the menu while I was waiting on a search to come back for Sam's team. But anything you order should be good. They have great reviews!"

The sunny smile that her friend wore infected her heart with a deep happiness, helping her to forget what she was going through at home. After they had placed their order, Penelope looked at her, smiling widely. "What?"

"I have a question. When are you going to tell the rest of us?"

"The rest of you what?" she asked, feeling confused.

"That you're having another baby! I mean, that is why you've been meeting so often with Strauss, right? You're working out your maternity leave!"

JJ shook her head sadly. "No, nothing like that. I've been assisting her with some media questions. That was what I was hired to do in the first place, after all."

Penelope frowned a little before sipping at her lemonade. "Well, I want another little godchild to spoil. You and Will have to get to work on that."

"I'll try to remember that, Penny." While she was smiling, she felt her heart crack, wondering when the lie she was living to her friends would be exposed.


End file.
